diary of life
by melwa elena
Summary: Strange things start happening with legolas, he starts having strange dreams and then he doesn't wake out of them any more, at the meantime Atariël healer writes in her dairy. PostLOTR, Legolas torture.
1. chapter one

Chapter one  
  
Note: this is my first fanfiction. I hope you like it. Everything that is written _this way_, is written in Atariël's diary.  
  
Disclaimer: nothing of Lord of the Rings is mine. Atariël is a character I've made up.

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_Another normal day in the House of Healing. I didn't have to do much. The last month has been very quiet. The prince hasn't been visiting me anymore. I heard from one of the maids that he is gone to Imladris. Pity, he always came to visit me at least once a week, asking things about the art of healing. We are the same age. Not exactly, he is 4 years older than me.(note: elven years). I probably wrote this before. But I don't know anything else to write about. Tomorrow I've got a day off. Maybe I'll visit one of my friends. I'll stop writing, because this is all very boring.  
  
Love, Atariël.  
_

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"Elladan, Elrohir where are you?" Nobody answered. A long blonde elf walked through the woods of Imladris. Somebody touched the elf his shoulder. Startled he looked back.  
  
"Here we are!" Elrohir said with a smile on his face. "Come we have to go," Legolas said, "I should have been back in the palace today." All three of them mounted their horse and started riding.  
  
It was quiet in the woods. All you could hear were the birds. In the trees and the sky, happily singing. The twins and the prince had no clue of what terrible thing would happen later that week.  
  
"Tell me where you to were gone to?" Legolas asked the brothers. "We just wanted to have fun," Elladan answered. "And see how you would react when you found us gone," Elrohir finished his brother's sentence. A little smile appeared on Legolas' face. The twins always tried to trick him. "I should have known," he said.  
  
The day was passing by slowly. Legolas had always been good friends with Elladan and Elrohir. Although they sometimes had a fight when they were younger. "How is Arwen doing?" he asked. "She wrote a letter two weeks ago. You know why?" "Why should I know what your sister writes about to you?" he asked with a very puzzled look on his face.  
  
The brothers both smiled. "Come on you can tell me," Legolas said, "you two made me curious." "Arwen is pregnant," Elrohir finally answered after a long silent moment. "Really!?" Legolas exclaimed. "Yes, I'm not telling lies." "That is great for Arwen and Aragorn." "We weren't supposed to tell anyone yet, so could you please tell nobody," Elladan asked, "Arwen or Aragorn will send you a letter too." "I won't say a word," Legolas promised.  
  
The night fell. It was getting darker and the twins and Legolas stopped to get some sleep. Legolas didn't sleep very well. He woke a couple of times and he had strange dreams. It were flashed of light and he could see people, but didn't understand what was going on in his dreams.  
  
When the twins finally woke up Legolas was already awake for hours. Elladan looked at Legolas and immediately saw that something was wrong. "Legolas didn't you get some sleep?" Legolas yawned and answered: "not really, I had very strange dreams. More flashes than dreams." "Do you want to rest before we go off again?" "No, we can go."  
  
At noon they had passed the mountains. "Finally open fields," Elrohir said, "I don't like mountains." "And now we can ride very fast," Elladan exclaimed and started galloping. The other two followed him. The three of them were happy. They didn't have to care for anything but themselves. They were free.

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Atariël sat in her room looking out off the window. She didn't go to her friends, because it could start raining any moment. The sky got darker. Not dark blue, but black, grey. All of a sudden she saw a flash off light, bright yellow light and in that very same moment it began to rain.  
  
Thunder and rain, how nice, Atariël thought. She hated it!  
  
Atariël had a feeling. A feeling that something was wrong. She didn't feel comfortable and so she left her room. She walked to the House of Healing to see if there was something she could do.  
  
When she entered the House of Healing she saw king Thranduil. "My lord what brings you here?" she asked. "Nothing serious, I've only got a headache and I needed some herbs. "I'll get them for you, my lord," she quickly said.  
  
The king waited in the long corridor. Candles and torches had been lit. The evening was falling into night. "Here you are, my lord." "Thank you, Atariël," he said and he left.  
  
Atariël got back to her room. There was nothing she could do in the House of Healing. She took her diary out of a small box. It was old and the pages began to get yellow. She has been writing in diaries since her childhood. Her mother had given a diary to her, two years before she died. At that time she wrote a lot. Now she did not even wrote a whole page. I was more a habit than something she really loved to do. But her mother had once told her when she was very old she would be glad that she had written all those years of good memories.  
  
_The weather was very bad, the sky looked black and grey instead of blue. It scares me. I've got a strange feeling. I do not know what it means, but I'm sure it does have one. I'm trying to get some sleep and hope that the weather will be better tomorrow. I'm trying to get some sleep and hope that the weather will be better tomorrow.  
  
Love, Atariël  
_

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At the end of the day they reached Mirkwood. But they weren't home yet. That would a least take another day of riding. If nothing came on their path.  
  
Sleep well they said to each other and they all closed their eyes. Legolas had the feeling he only got more tired than he already was. All the energy left his body, but still he could not sleep.

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	2. chapter two

Chapter two  
  
Note: Legolas torture. Legolas is having dreams where he is tortured. These dreams happen while he is sleeping. The others cannot see what he is dreaming, but the scars on his body can be seen by them. Everything written _this way_ is written in Atariël's diary and everything written **this way** are Legolas' dreams. I hope you like it and reviews are greatly appreciated.  
  
Disclaimer: nothing of Lord of the Rings is mine. Atariël is a character I've made up.

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**When Legolas woke up he saw he was in a dungeon. He tried to stand up, But he was chained to the wall. The chains cut in his wrists and ankles. The dungeon was dark and everywhere lay dust on the ground. Someone entered the dark room. He could not see who it was. The last thing Legolas felt was that someone hit him on his head. After that everything went black.  
**  
"Legolas, wake up!" Elladan exclaimed. Finally Legolas opened his eyes. He looked scared. "It's ok, you were probably dreaming," Elrohir said. Legolas' wrists and ankles hurt, just like his head. As though he had really been chained up and beaten on his head. "Are you ok, Legolas?" Elladan asked. Legolas slowly opened his mouth, but no words came. "Legolas??" Elrohir said very worried. Finally Legolas said something: "I'm tired and my head, ankles and wrists hurt." Legolas spoke very slowly and he could hardly keep his eyes open. "We have to go to king Thandruil. Something very strange is at hand here," Elladan said. The twins helped Legolas standing up and Elladan took Legolas on his horse. "Arod will follow us," Elladan said.  
  
They rode as fast as they could. After a while it started raining, but there was no time to waste. There was something wrong with Legolas and they didn't know what.  
  
"We are nearly there, Legolas, hold on a little longer," Elladan whispered in Legolas' ear. Elrohir and Elladan glanced to each other, it looked liked Legolas was fading although he had no serious injuries, where he could died from.  
  
"Noro lim, noro lim (ride fast)," the twins whispered to their horses. It was dark and cold in the woods and a strong wind blew. Now and then a sunbeam reached the ground, when it wasn't caught by al the branches or the leaves. Raindrops fell down. But the brothers didn't pay any attention to it. They were watching over there friend.  
  
"How long do we have to keep riding?" Elrohir asked his brother. "Not long, we are nearly there, just a little longer." The twins nearly didn't speak. All they could hear were the raindrops, the wind and the pounding of hoofs.  
  
Someone hurried to the palace. The elf needed to speak the king immediately. "Lord Thranduil," he said while he bowed, "the sons of lord Elrond are coming, your son is with them to, but Elladan caries him. Lord Thranduil started running to the hall. There he saw his son carried by Elladan and Elrohir. "What happened to my son?" he exclaimed. Nobody answered and the twins took Legolas to the House of Healing. The king followed them.  
  
In the House of Healing Atariël stood talking to her friend. The were having a useless conversation, but they had to do something, while there were no patients. Then Atariël's friend bowed. Atariël turned around and saw the king and bowed too. She also saw that two identical elves carried someone. When they came closer she saw who it was, it was prince Legolas. She let out a little scream. "Bring him in there!" she exclaimed and she entered a room.  
  
Atariël immediately began to question the twins. But they weren't much of help, because they didn't understand what happened to their friend. The twins carefully laid Legolas on the bed.  
  
**Legolas was in the dungeon again. Two elves entered the small, dark room. For no reason they started beating him. The two elves didn't have weapons with them, but at once one of them had a dagger in his hand. It had appeared out of the tin air. Legolas didn't understand how a dagger could just appear. He looked confused to them, afraid what may come. "Come here you annoying, little elf!" And he grasped Legolas' head and cut in his jaw, some blood run down his cheek. Tears of pain stood in Legolas' eyes. He screamed, but the elves didn't stop beating him. At the end his legs gave way and he fell down. Legolas fainted and everything went black again.**  
  
Elrohir yelled. "What is it?" Elladan exclaimed. "Blood," Elrohir pointed to Legolas' cheek. "How...?" No one understood what was going on. The king, Elladan, Elrohir and Atariël were in the room. They all sat down next to Legolas' bed. Nobody spoke, they were waiting for Legolas to wake up. They had tried to wake him, but he didn't seem to react.  
  
But that moment didn't came that day, neither that night. Legolas' father stayed with him all the time. Atariël also stayed if the prince might get other injuries. It looked like Legolas was just sleeping very deep. But in fact he was still in those weird dreams.  
  
Nothing happened that night.  
  
The next morning the king send a letter to lord Elrond, asking if he might come over and see if he knew what kind of disease Legolas was having. Thranduil hoped Elrond could explain this and cure him, but he feared for something else. Years ago... something like this had also happened. A healer, who didn't wake up anymore and got injuries while no one touched her. They didn't know what to do. The healer was Atariël's mother. They had never told her what caused her mother's death. She was so little at the time and after that no one ever spoke about it. Probably the king had to tell her now, but he would wait for Elrond, so they could explain it together.  
  
In the end the healer had died. At the thought of death tears appeared in king Thranduil's eyes. He didn't want to see his son dying, without being able to help him. And see him suffer through all the pain. Because the only thing they knew for sure last time, was that Atariël's mother was heavily tortured.

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	3. chapter three

Chapter Three  
  
Note: Legolas torture, everything that is written **this way** are Legolas' dreams, everything written _this way_ is Atariël's diary  
  
Disclaimer: nothing of Lord of the Rings is mine. Atariël is character I've made up.

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Everybody in the palace spoke about what happened to their prince. You could hear elves whisper and when the king entered a room everybody stopped talking. The king was in a bad mood, if someone spoke to him he snapped to that elf. Lord Elrond would probably arrive today. Thranduil hoped he would, because his son was having serious injuries. On his chest there were gashes, which were possibly caused by lashes. There were also deeper gashes, which look like the cuts of a dagger.  
  
The king had said to Atariël that she didn't have to help, because there were enough healers. But she had insisted to help. The king was afraid that she would remember her mother and that he had to explain everything to her. He wasn't ready for that yet. Elrond and he had to talk things through before they would tell her. Things were getting complicated, especially when she asked why she didn't have to help. The king had given her no answer and let her watch over Legolas just like the other healers.  
  
The twins were most of the time by Legolas side, but now and then the were in the library. Looking if they could find a book which might help them. But no book gave information about an elf that didn't wake up and was tortured in his dreams. They began to get desperate. Hopefully they waited for their father. Maybe he knew the solution to this puzzle.  
  
Atariël didn't know what to think about the whole situation. The king telling her that she didn't have to help. Nobody knowing how to help the prince. She sighed while she was sitting on her bed. She had been reading through the old pages of her diaries. There lay several different diaries spread out over her bed. She wanted to find any clue that might tell her how her mother died. She knew that she had died in a strange way. And now with whole thing over the prince, she had been starting to think about it.  
  
Always when she had asked about her mother's death, she never got a clear and honest answer. She didn't bother to find it out anyway, but now she was getting curious. Still she didn't dare to ask anyone. And even a more difficult question was who did she had to ask. So she started searching her diaries. Nothing, there was nothing to be found in them. The only thing she had found were these:  
  
_Nana ( = mother) has been brought to the House of Healing. Healer said she is sick. He did not know what it was. He would tell me tomorrow_. And then she had been starting writing about other things that had happened that day. Later on she had found some other things. _Healer said nana has to stay al little longer. Nana is very sick, he tells me...Nana has died. I do not understand what that means. They said it meant she was not coming back any more .I had to cry a lot. I want nana back. Who is going to tell story before I go to bed?_  
  
And that was everything she had found. She had to laugh about the way she wrote at those days. Very childish. She was only 6 years old (note: human year).After her mother died she had lived with her aunt. Her aunt had always been kind to her. She had told Atariël about her mother being a healer. When she grew up, she knew she wanted to become a healer herself. For quiet some time she worked in the palace by now. There had been some very hectic days. Especially when there were the years of war in Mirkwood. But that was a long time ago. Mostly the patients had broken something or they had been attacked by spider, which still lived in the forest.  
  
Lord Elrond was riding in the realm of Mirkwood. Through the woods, on his way to the palace. The weather was not that good at the moment, but in the spring and summer it was beautiful. Then you could hear young birds singing in the top of the trees. But at the moment he was brooding about a lot of things. The most important thing that he was brooding about, was the fact he had to tell Thranduil that he did not know how to help his son. It would be a great shock for the king that one of the best elfish healer did not have a clue what was wrong with his son.  
  
One of the guards that rode in front of the group said to lord Elrond they were near their destination. "Good, will you bring my horse to the stables when we arrive. So I can immediately go to the king?" he asked the guard. "Off course my lord," he politely answered. They rode for another quarter when they finally reached the palace in the realm of Mirkwood. Elrond stepped down his horse and walked to the great doors, which gave access to the hall.  
  
King Thranduil waited in his study. Lord Elrond entered and began immediately to speak. "It's the same as with the healer is it not?" Thranduil slowly nodded and stood up. With a soft voice he whispered: "my son is going to die, isn't he?" "Don't give up so soon, we are going to do the best we can to save him," Elrond answered, trying to comfort the king. Although Elrond was not quiet sure what he could do. Last time they hadn't figured is out, but were they able to solve the mystery this time. Or would it end the same, although that was decades ago. "Come lets see how your son is doing," the lord of Imladris said.  
  
"Wait," the king said, "I believe that Atariël is taking care for him now. She is the daughter of the healer. She doesn't know how her mother died, she ... has never been told the truth." Thranduil stared to the floor, like he didn't dare to look to Elrond. Like he had failed the girl by not telling her how everything really was. "I understand what you mean," Elrond sighed. He understood the time had come to finally tell her the truth. But how were they supposed to tell her after all those years. The two elven lords came after a long conversation to a solution. They would just tell her there was nothing else to it, they had to, before she found it out by herself. That would be tremendous. She would be angry, for not telling her. So they got to the House of Healing to tell her.  
  
**Not again the dungeon, Legolas thought. He looked pale, because he had lost a lot of blood. He lay on the ground. The chains around his wrist and ankles had disappeared, they weren't needed anyway. He was so weak he could hardly stand up. The two elves entered the room. Legolas moaned to the thought of having a lot of pain again. He curled himself up and put his arms around his legs. The black haired elf pulled him to his feet and grasped his arm. "Want some more pain?" he asked with an evil grin. The other kept Legolas standing because his legs would gave way. The black haired one grasped with his other hand one of Legolas' fingers. Slowly he bent the finger backwards. Tears appeared in Legolas' eyes. He knew what the elf tried to do ... break his fingers. At once you could hear the bone breaking. Legolas let out a scream of pain. Tears fell down his cheeks. The elf broke all his fingers and the other elf let him fall to the ground. They left him all alone. He a terrible pain. He only wore his leggings. The elves had taken all his other clothes.  
  
How long he could last this? Will his friends try to rescue him? Are the able to rescue him? Would the elves kill him in the end? Why did this had to happen to him? What had he done wrong to deserve this? All these question were spinning through Legolas' mind. He felt lonely and hoped this would all end soon. That he was home again with his father and friends. But he didn't think that would happen soon, if he ever might get home**.  
  
Atariël sat next to the bed were Legolas lay. She watched his chest slowly going up and down, while he was breathing. She was day-dreaming, but all of a sudden she 'woke' out of her day-dreams. She heard something snapping. She looked a Legolas' hand and saw his finger was broken. Just when she wanted to take a better look at it she heard one of other fingers break. At the same moment the door opened and lord Elrond and lord Thranduil entered. Elrond at once noticed something was wrong and quickly walked to Atariël. "You must be lord Elrond, Legolas' fingers are broken she said it just happened," Atariël rapidly said. "Yes, I am," Elrond said and looked at Legolas' fingers. They were broken and there wasn't much they could do it just had to heal. "Atariël can we have a word with you?" Elrond asked. "Off course," she politely answered.  
  
King Thranduil and lord Elrond had taken Atariël to a small room. The were some chairs in it and no tables. "Atariël you might want to sit down, because we have to explain some things. Things that we have kept for a secret to you over many years," Thranduil started. Atariël sat down at one of the old chairs. Lord Thranduil began to tell: "When you were a little elfling, your mother died. I have never been quiet honest with you about what happened to her. So now the past is repeating itself, I have to explain this." Atariël looked puzzled. This was about her mom? And what had the king meant by the past is repeating itself? She did not understand. But before other thoughts could shot through her mind the king started telling again. "The dreams that Legolas is having, are of the same kind as which your mother had just before she died. She had dreams in which..."Thranduil stopped. He could not tell this, not when his son was slowly dying. Lord Elrond continued: "In which she was tortured. Or at least that is what we think, because she was also getting all kinds of injuries."  
  
Atariël placed her hands for her mouth. Now all the piece fitted in the puzzle. No one ever telling about her mother, the king who did not want her to help. It all made sense now. Slowly tears came in her eyes. "But then," she just realised, "Legolas will die just like my mother?" She said it more as a statement than a question. She hoped they could safe Legolas. Thranduil stared in the distance while she said that. Lord Elrond waited for a short moment and then said: "that could be, if we don't find a solution to wake the prince out of his dreams. But he is strong and hopefully he will keep hope like we do. Because we will need some time to figure this out, if we will ever be able to. But we are trying and pushing ourselves to the limit to help him," Elrond paused for a moment, "we will leave you alone now so you can think about everything that has been said. Atariël nodded and the two elven lords left the room.  
  
After the explanation of Thranduil and Elrond Atariël went to her room. She took her diary and started writing:  
  
I_ finally found out how nana died. Lord Elrond from Imladris and king Thranduil told me that nana was having the same dreams as Legolas is having right now. In these dreams she has been heavily tortured. That has caused her death. I'm afraid that the prince will die. Lord Elrond said they were going to try anything they could, but he is not sure Legolas will survive this. All these horrible thoughts make me want to cry.  
  
Everything getting black  
  
Slowly fading  
  
And the darkness  
  
All around me  
  
Lost in darkness  
  
Help me out  
  
Nothing  
  
no one  
  
Silence  
  
Never to return  
  
This poem just came in my mind, it shows how your life can just change in one day and that the darkness can take over from all the good that was in your life and that it even could end everything that was beautiful, sweet and good in your life.  
  
Love Atariël.  
_

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I have written this poem at school, because we had to write a poem in class for the subject Dutch, but I think Dutch poems sometimes sounds so childish and I couldn't think of a good Dutch poem so I wrote an English one. And I thought it would fit exactly in this part of the story.  
  
Please let me know if you liked it.  
  
Thanks to Roselyne for reviewing my story. I'm glad you liked it. 


	4. chapter four

Chapter four  
  
Note: Legolas torture, everything that is written **this way** are Legolas' dreams, everything written _this way_ is Atariël's diary  
  
Disclaimer: nothing of Lord of the Rings is mine. Atariël is character I've made up.

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Lord Elrond found Elladan and Elrohir in the library. They were searching for a solution to Legolas' dreams. "When did you arrive?" Elladan asked his father. "A couple of hours ago," he answered, "I first visited the king and Atariël" "She is a healer, isn't she?" Elrohir asked. "Yes she is, we had to tell her some personal things. None of your business. But Thranduil told you were looking through some books. Did you find anything yet?" "No we didn't find anything, but we did not read all the books so far. There is still hope for us to find something," Elrohir. "That is what I wanted to talk about with you. Can you come with me?" "Off course, father," Elrohir and Elladan said in the same time.  
  
The twins and their father got to Elrond's room. Elrond told them he did not know how to tell the king that he didn't know how to help Legolas and that he would probably die. After Atariël's mother had died he still tried to find something if it might happen again, but nothing what he had read could help him. And now it was happening. There was only one book left that could help. It had information about the darkest magic in Middle Earth, but years ago the book had been stolen. All this he told his sons. "But Legolas cannot die, he is our friend!" Elrohir whispered in shock from what he just heard. "I am sorry, I wish that there was something I could do," Elrond said. He left his sons alone. Elladan put an arm around his brother to comfort him. He wanted to say something, but didn't know anything to say that might make his brother a bit less sad.  
  
Atariël was in her room, laying on her bed, crying. Maybe she rather did not want to know what had happened to her mother. I made he feel miserable and the feeling got even worse when she thought about Legolas. She knew that the was a big chance that Legolas might die. So far lord Elrond didn't think of anything that might help. Atariël felt lonely. When she was a child she had felt lonely for many times. Her father died before her mother did, in a war. That were forgotten memories by now. Not even her diary told the secrets of that war, she was so small that she could not write then. Her aunt had raised her. She had two nieces and one nephew. But it seemed that her family had always been in trouble, because one of her nieces had also died. She had been walking in the woods and got lost. She had been attacked by a spider, someone had tried to save her niece, but she faded from the injuries she had suffered. That had been some really bad times. After all that she had moved to the palace and became a healer. Then everything had been really good. And now bad times had arrived again.  
  
She had wrote in her diary to get the bad feeling out of her, but it did not really work.  
  
_My life changed a lot, in a bad way. Now I know how my mother died I am even more afraid that Legolas will die. I've cried a lot these days. I had to think about my father and niece. Maybe I'll visit my aunt. I need some one to talk to about all this. Now I'm thinking about my childhood. I still wonder how I could write pages in my diary. Now it is just a half page. Sometimes I don't even make that. I never know what to write. Ooh wait I nearly forgot, Legolas his fingers are broken. Those stupid dreams!!  
  
Love Atariël._  
  
Lord Elrond was planing to visit king Thranduil. He had to tell that there was a big change that Legolas might die. He knocked on the door of Thranduil's study. "Come in," he heard a voice say. Elrond slowly opens the door. "What brings you here, lord Elrond?" "Can I have a word with you, please." "Yes, come lets go outside and take a walk while we talk." The two elven lords walked to the garden of the palace. It had rained a lot, but today it finally stopped. You could hear a couple of birds happily singing.  
  
"So tell me what you wanted to say, my fiend." Elrond stopped walking and thought for a moment. "It's about your son. I'm afraid that there is a big chance he will die... I'm sorry." Lord Thranduil didn't know what to say. In his mind he had known this, but now someone said it all seemed to become real. He swallowed and said: "I was afraid you was going to say that. Is there really nothing you can do?" Elrond sighed and answered: "I wish there was anything, but I think that this has to do with," Elrond began to whisper so only the king could hear him, "the dark magic. Do you remember the book that had been stolen? I think it has fallen in the wrong hands." "You think the solution is in that book?" Thranduil asked surprised. "Yes."  
  
**The torture got worse every day. Legolas asked himself how long he had been here. A day, a week, a month, or even longer, he did not know. In fact he was there for two weeks now. The elves hardly spoke to him and if they did it was in a mean way. With a loud bang the door opened. One of the elves yelled: "You irritating elf, you know why you are here?" Legolas didn't dare to answer. "We do! To end your life, just like we did with Atariël's mother. You know her, don't you?" Legolas still didn't say anything, but his eyes betrayed him. They showed his fear. Finally he managed to speak. "Why are you doing this? Hurting elves." The two elves looked at each other and they said: "because we want to rule the realm of Mirkwood. First we torture you and then kill you. Your father will then be easy to catch, totally lost in grief." "But you are not real, this is a dream." "Then what do you call this!?" the elf cut in Legolas' chest and blood run over the floor. Legolas moaned in agony. "Through these dreams we can torture you, but we also exist in real life just like you do. We can die just like you, but we talked enough time for some fun!"  
  
The elves pulled Legolas to his feet and threw him against the wall. He felt his back aching. He slid via the wall at the ground. He didn't want to cry and be strong, but he couldn't stop them. Tears tumbled over his cheeks. They pushed him and he fell to the ground. He heard something snap, he felt a twinge of pain through his left leg. "You broke your leg, now he can't walk anymore," one of the elves said to the other one in a humble way. The elves left him alone again. Legolas looked to his leg. Nothing seemed wrong, but the pain told him something was. Whole his body felt broken. Not that it was, although his fingers and leg were. Whole his body was covered in dirt, he didn't feel like an elf anymore, elves used to be fair. And he was not, he began losing hope. Why should his friends rescue him, he was tired of life, he wanted that this would all stop. Right here at this moment, but then something his father had once told came in his mind. He had been a little elfling at the time, but his father he said: never loose hope, if anything might happen and everything seems lost, I will always try to help you. Where ever you are, you will always be my little elfling. With that thought Legolas lay down and closed his eyes.  
**  
Elrohir knocked at a door. "Come in," he heard a female voice say. He entered the room. A she-elf looked up. "Are you all right?" Elrohir said when he saw, the girl had cried. "Yes, I'm." The elf was Atariël. "What brings you here?" she asked. "I don't know, I guess I wanted to see how you were doing. My father told what happened to your mother. I felt sorry for you." Atariël smiled. "That's nice. You can sit if you wish," she said to Elrohir who was still standing in the door way. He closed the door and came sitting next to Atariël. "Did Elrond tell about Legolas that he might die." Elrohir nodded. "There is still hope if we find a book, but it was stolen a long time ago. My father think it contains some important information that could help us saving Legolas. They sat there for some time together. Both telling what kept spinning through their minds and looking for comfort by each other.

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Please let me know if you like it, so please review.  
  
Thanks to Greenleaf's Daughter and Karry for reviewing chapter three.  
  
I'll try to update a new chapter every week now the holidays have started, but I'm not sure I will succeed in that. 


	5. chapter five

Chapter five  
  
Note: Legolas torture, everything that is written **this way** are Legolas' dreams, everything written _this way_ is Atariël's diary  
  
It's like I can't stop writing. Even when it was my mother's birthday and all my relatives were there I was sitting with a pen and a piece of paper in my hands. I just needed to write, because some really good ideas came in my mind. So read and you'll find out what I made up.  
  
Disclaimer: nothing of Lord of the Rings is mine. Atariël is character I've made up.

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A man entered the palace of lord Thranduil. He looked around if he was searching for something or someone. A maid came out one of the chambers and the man called: "Can I ask you something?" "Off course," the maid politely answered. "Can you tell me where I can find prince Legolas?" The maid petrified and did not answer. How could she tell what happened to Mirkwood's prince? This man clearly didn't know. "What is wrong, what happened to him," the man asked, now more demanding. The girl didn't seem capable to say anything any more. The man thought something was terribly wrong. And he was right, but he did not know yet. He left the maid standing alone in the hall. He ran up the stairs to Legolas' room.  
  
The man was Aragorn. He had left Minas Tirith to visit his friend. Faramir took care of all the things which had to be done in the city. Faramir had always been very loyal him. He was a nice man and good steward. Aragorn had first travelled to Rohan, land of the horse masters. He visited Eomer and then he had decide to go to Legolas.  
  
"Legolas," he called softly. No one answered, he pushed the door open. "Legolas, are you here?" It looked like there hadn't been anyone in the room for what seemed like a week or so. The blankets lay neatly on the bed and everything was cleaned. He looked in whole Legolas' room, but his friend was nowhere to be found. The maid had followed Aragorn. Although she couldn't keep up with him, she knew where he was probably going to. She found him sitting on the bed, just like she had expected. "My lord," she said, "the prince is in the House of Healing." "Thank you," he said and left the maid alone. Questions rushed through Aragorn's mind. What was Legolas doing in the House of Healing? Why did the maid react so strange when he asked about his friend? Was Legolas ill? No elves normally never got ill. But did he maybe had other injuries? He did not know. He started running.  
  
Elladan and Elrohir walked through the corridors of the House of Healing when the heard someone calling their names. "Elladan, Elrohir?" The twins turned around to see who called them. A smile appeared on their faces. "Aragorn, good to see you," the twins exclaimed at the same time. "Where is Legolas?" Aragorn asked quickly. The smiles vanished from their faces. The twin stared at the floor. They had to tell him. "Come with us," Elladan said in a whisper. Aragorn followed his foster-brothers.  
  
They reached one of the chambers. Elladan opened the door. In the room Legolas lay on the bed with his eyes closed, what barely happened. Elves only closed their eyes when they were in terrible pain. Next to the bed Atariël sat on a chair. Aragorn gasped, for a moment he thought Legolas had died, but then he saw his chest slowly going up and down. "Why...what?" Aragorn stammered. The twins and Atariël explained everything that had happened the past couple of weeks. At the end Aragorn plumped down onto a chair. "So there is nothing we can do?" "No unless we find that book, although father is not sure there will be a solution in the book either." Tears stung in Aragorn's eyes. His best friend... Legolas... he could not die. They had done so many things together and were really good friends. It sounded so unreal, how could his immortal friend standing on the edge of death.  
  
A couple of hours later the two elven lords also entered Legolas' room. Elrond noticed Aragorn and welcomed him, but further nobody spoke. They were all getting a bit desperate. How long could Legolas fight against the torture? And would they somehow find a solution to Legolas' dreams? All these questions drifted through their minds.  
  
Later that day Elladan and Elrohir went to the library again. Aragorn decided that he wanted to stay with Legolas for some time. They just had to find anything that could help Legolas. Elrohir was determined to find something, he could not let his friend die. Not without trying everything he could do. His brother felt the same way. In one way or another they would cure Legolas of these evil dreams. To whatever cost. Reading all kinds of books about the art of healing, none of them seemed to contain any information about dreams where elves were tortured. "Has this never happened to any other elf then Legolas and Atariël's mother?" Elrohir asked in a weary voice. "Obviously not, according to these books," his elder brother answered. "I wish that when we walk back to the House of Healing Legolas would sit up in bed and say this was a stupid joke or that he just wakes up again," Elrohir said, he closed his eyes to prevent tears from falling. "Me to, but that won't happen," Elladan said. And they continued searching.  
  
**Legolas shivered, elves normally never felt the cold, but now he did. Legolas closed his eyes and hoped that when he would open them he was in his room and that all this was a bad dream. But nothing had changed when he did. Tears stung in his eyes. Legolas gave way to despair, every day more. He felt that this would be the end. The end of his life. Why did this had to happen to him? By the Valar, what had he done wrong to deserve this? Days had passed by, but how many he did not know. He thought about his father, his friends. Would they feel pity for him? Did they even try to help him out of here? All those questions, but they stayed unanswered as Legolas lay there in the darkness. His body was slender, sometimes the elves had given him some water and bread. It was never much. He startled when he heard the door swing open. The elves were in a bad mood. Legolas could tell, he just felt it. They walked to Legolas and stared at him. For what seemed an eternity they kept staring. Legolas got slightly nervous. They elves also tortured him mentally. By curse at him and like staring till he would scream and beg them to stop doing that.  
  
Just like now, Legolas begged them to stop, but they didn't. He tried to yell, but he was so weak he hardly could talk. Finally one of them said something: "look at our little elf, he tries to squeal, but he so weak he can't." Both of the elves laughed evilly. "He is nearly tortured enough to be killed, but not yet let him suffer some more." A sword appeared from out of the tin air. Legolas remembered one of the first times he was in the dungeon, a dagger had also just appeared. One of the elves stabbed Legolas in his belly with the sword. A small cut appeared in his body, but it went deep. Legolas screamed in pain. The elves left him. Legolas pushed with his hand against the wound, to make the bleeding stop. It hurt terribly, so much that he fainted. And everything went black.  
**  
Lord Elrond and king Thranduil had left some time ago, because daily businesses kept on going and Thranduil had to rule over his people. Atariël and Aragorn were alone, sitting by Legolas side. "Can I see his wounds?" Aragorn asked her. He just wanted to see how bad it really was. Atariël lifted up the blanket and Aragorn saw that Legolas chest was bandaged. "His fingers and left leg are broken, he has a lot of gashes on his chest," Atariël whispered. Legolas softly moaned in his sleep. Aragorn and Atariël both looked up at his face. The expressions on his face showed he was in pain. Atariël wanted to lay the blanket back over Legolas when she saw the bandage was soaked with fresh blood. She let out a squeal. The injuries had never been so worse. It seemed to bleed quit freely. "Get lord Elrond I need some help with this," Atariël exclaimed. She tried to stay calm. Aragorn ran away to find his foster-father.  
  
When Aragorn came back with lord Elrond, they could see the wound, it seemed small, but it was deep. Atariël was already trying to stop the bleeding. "Aragorn, you better wait outside!" Elrond exclaimed. Aragorn left the two healers and his friend alone. "We must hurry or he won't make it, he lost a lot of blood," Atariël said quickly. Elrond nodded and started helping her. "Come on, hold on just a little longer," Elrond muttered under his breath. Also the same words shot through Atariël's mind. In the back of Elrond's head a voice said: he won't make it he losing to much blood. Elrond pushed away the thought and the two healers tried to help Legolas.

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Sorry for the cliff-hanger but I wanted a tense ending. So will Legolas make it or not? I already know. laughs evil. You'll see it in the next chapter.  
  
Please let me know if you like it or not. REVIEW TIME !!! please ??? 


	6. chapter six

Chapter six  
  
Note: Legolas torture, everything that is written **this way** are Legolas' dreams, everything written _this way_ is Atariël's diary  
  
Disclaimer: nothing of Lord of the Rings is mine. Atariël is character I've made up.

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Aragorn was sent out of the room. He paced up and down the corridor, nervously waiting for news about Legolas. The two elven healers were very good in their art, but the wound had been deep. Was Legolas strong enough to survive this? He didn't know. It was all so unfair. His friend that had saved his life many times, was now slowly dying and there was nothing he could do. He felt helpless, tears welled up in his eyes and he tried to restrain a sob. Aragorn sat down at the stone floor which felt cold. He was sobbing. All his emotions came out, that he had been keeping in. He sat there for quiet some time. Alone and thinking.  
  
"Elladan, look at the cover of this book. It is so old it nearly falls apart." The elder twin brother looked at the book his brother was holding in hand. It was small and had a black cover, with no tittle. The angles of the pages were curled. When Elrohir opened the book the pages were slightly yellow, in some of the pages there were cracks. Words in the language of Quenya were written in black ink. The letters were written swiftly, but it looked like the writer had not much time, the handwriting was at parts indistinct. "This is no book about healing, lets bring it to father," Elladan said. Elrohir nodded and together they left the library.  
  
Together they quickly walked to their father's study, but when they opened the door, no one was there. At the desk lay a lot of papers. The twins looked at each other. Elladan said: "father would never leave the room without putting all these papers . . ."He didn't have to say more. Something was wrong. Both brothers ran to the House of Healing.  
  
"What should be wrong?" the younger twin brother asked. "I do not know, lets hope everything is alright." Fear was visible in there eyes. What happened? Or had they been to suspicious?  
  
"Aragorn is sitting there," Elladan exclaimed and he pointed to the man. "Aragorn? What are you doing here?" Elladan asked. At the same moment Atariël came out of Legolas' room. The twins turned around, with puzzled expressions on their faces they looked at her. "What?" Aragorn stood up and lay a hand on Elladan's shoulder. "Calm down," Then he turned to Atariël and asked: "is he alright, did he make it?" Slightly nervous that she was going to tell him that Legolas died, he waited for an answer.  
  
"Who is alright? Is there something with Legolas? What happened?" Elrohir exclaimed, before Atariël could answer. He felt something was wring and he could not handle the tension. "Sssh, it's alright, let first Atariël answer my question, then I'll explain everything," Aragorn said to comfort Elrohir a bit. Atariël could finally answer. "Yes, he is alright." She had to say more then the words he is alright, but for the moment that would do.  
  
Lord Elrond, who heard all the noise, joined the three elves and the man. He heard what had been said and decide to explain after everyone had taken a seat in Legolas' room. He asked them to come in and sit down. Lord Elrond began: "let me explain all this. I think that Legolas was stabbed with a knife, sword, dagger or whatever weapon." The twins gasped, but lord Elrond continued. "He was stabbed in his belly, he lost a lot of blood, but Atariël and I managed to stop the bleeding. I think that it won't be long before these dreams try to kill him, seeing that the torture is getting worse.  
  
Elrohir who was still holding the book in his hand stood up and said: "father, we found this in the library." He handed the book over to his father. Elrond looked at it and when he saw it had no tittle, he opened the book. He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again. "What is it, father?" "This ... this is the book that has been stolen all those years ago. Only this is not the original version. I did not know there was a copy." "But then we have found a cure for Legolas," Elrohir said hopefully. "That could be, but the handwriting is very indistinct and I first have to find the part were is written about the cure for Legolas' dreams," Elrond said, "but I'll try to find it. so I'll go to my study and start to read. Elladan will you inform lord Thranduil about this?" "Off course father."  
  
Elrohir, Aragorn and Atariël stayed with Legolas. Elrohir stroked Legolas' blond hair. "Hold on, we are going to find a way to get you out of there," he muttered under his breath, if somehow Legolas was maybe able to hear him. But Legolas did not hear him.  
  
**The elves had just entered the dungeon. One of them carried a glass. There was no water in it, it was a dark red liquid, it was nearly black of colour. They started laughing, like they were up to an evil plan. Legolas heard them coming closer. He lifted up his head a little to see what they were doing. He saw the glass, he had no idea what they were planning to do with it. Then the brown haired elf, who carried the glass, spotted Legolas looking at them. "Where are you looking at?" the elf yelled. Legolas lay his head down on the floor. "He looked at the glass," the other one said, "I should take a better look, because that thing will be the end of you!"  
  
Poison! That word shot through Legolas' mind. It had to be. Why else should they take a glass with them. "Do you know what it is?" the black haired elf asked. "It's a poison, that will kill you slowly and it will be very painful," the other elf answered. The two elves kneeled down, each at a side of Legolas. "And if you don't drink it we will torture you till you will drink it!" the elf said in a treating voice. "Open your mouth!" Legolas didn't do what he was told. Then the elf had a dagger in is hand. "Or do you want some more pain" and he pushed the dagger against Legolas' throat. He slowly opened his mouth. The brown haired elf poured the liquid in Legolas' mouth. "Swallow it!" the other yelled and pushed the dagger some harder against his throat. Legolas swallowed the poison, it had a nasty taste. He felt like he had to vomit. The poison burned in his throat. "Good, little elf, now it's only a matter of time until we are rid of you and we can rule the realm of Mirkwood!" The brown haired elf threw the glass at the floor. It broke in hundreds of piece, large and small ones. The elves left Legolas alone, who was now slowly dying.  
**  
After Elladan told the king what had happened he immediately got to the House of Healing. Lord Elrond had gone to his study and started to read in the book. Aragorn, Elrohir and Atariël were now joined by Elladan and Thranduil. All sitting by Legolas side.  
  
Lord Elrond turned over the leaves of the book. But he was not really paying attention he was thinking about the original book. Who was having that book? It was clearly fallen in the wrong hands. But even if they woke Legolas out of his dreams, they had to find the person who had the original book. Because if they didn't it could all start over again. Maybe they would then kill Legolas immediately. All of a sudden Elrond lay eyes on something. It was the word "olos", the Quenya word for dream. He pushed all his thoughts aside and started to read.  
  
Lord Thranduil wished to speak lord Elrond, but he didn't want to leave his son alone. Not after what happened. But it seemed that Elrond was not coming any more. He decided that he could leave Legolas for a couple of minutes. There were other people still watching over his son anyway. He got to Elrond' study and knocked on the door. "Come in." Thranduil entered the chamber. "lord Thranduil, is everything alright?" "Yes, I'm fine, but I wanted to talk to you about the book. Something came into my mind, what if the book is not carefully copied and there are made mistakes. We ... we could kill Legolas." A sob was stuck in his throat when he said the name of his son. "That could happen, but this is the only thing we have that can save Legolas." "Did you find anything yet?" Thranduil asked hopefully. "Yes and in a couple of hours we can wake Legolas, I found a cure, I need Atariël to help me making this antidote." "That is great," lord Thranduil exclaimed and a smile appeared on his face.  
  
**Legolas lay on his back, every part of his body hurting. Tears rolled over his cheeks. His fingers and left leg were broken. On his chest were gashes and bruises. He felt the poison burning in his veins. He tried to not move, because everything would hurt even more. He couldn't bear the pain any longer, the loneliness, it was just horrible. Then he saw from the corner of his eye a piece of glass. It was the glass from the poison. He slowly moved his hand towards the piece of glass and picked it up. He pushed the glass against his wrist ready to cut it open and end his suffering.  
**

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Another chapter written. Chapter 7 and a part of chapter 8 are all ready on paper. And sorry for another cliff-hanger, but I promise I'll update the next chapter within a week.  
  
Thanks to Nikki, Sunshine 888 and Schizophrenic Moonlight for reviewing chapter five.  
  
Please review, so I can improve the story if necessary. 


	7. chapter seven

Chapter seven  
  
Note: Legolas torture, everything that is written **this way** are Legolas' dreams, everything written _this way_ is Atariël's diary  
  
Important note: I was looking LotR, RotK and in the end Elrond leaves Middle Earth. So in my story Elrond just never left Middle Earth. I knew this from the beginning of the story, but I never really paid attention to it.  
  
Disclaimer: nothing of Lord of the Rings is mine. Atariël is character I've made up.

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Atariël was helping lord Elrond with the antidote. She felt so good now she knew that Legolas would wake up again. She had let out a sigh of relief when Elrond told about what he had read. The antidote wasn't to difficult to make. A lot of herbs, water and honey, the it had to boil and at last it had to cool down. It seemed to easy, but that was what the book said. Elrond brought the pan with the antidote to Legolas' room in the House of Healing. "Is it ready?" lord Thranduil asked. "Yes, it is nearly, it only has to cool down." Thranduil nodded after Elrond's answer. Everyone was nervously waiting, it seemed to take forever.  
  
**Shall I do it or not. That thought wandered through Legolas' mind. If he killed himself the suffering would be over, but he would never see his friends, his father. Never see Mirkwood and Middle Earth. But if he didn't do it, how big was the chance he got out of there alive. Why did he had to make that choice, it was so unfair. He cried and sobbed, he felt the poison beginning to spread in his chest. With every heartbeat he was a step closer to death. He pressed the piece of glass harder against his wrist. He would do it and end his suffering, so he could finally rest in peace.  
**  
Lord Elrond poured some of the liquid in Legolas' mouth. He started to massage Legolas' throat, so he would swallow it. "Please, Legolas, swallow it, it's your only chance," lord Elrond muttered under his breath. Everyone waited and waited even longer. Then finally he slowly swallowed it. Lord Elrond poured some more in Legolas' mouth and made him swallow that too. Nothing seemed to happen until...  
  
**Just at the moment Legolas wanted to slice open his wrist everything around him began to spin. All the darkness faded. The glass in his hand disappeared. For a moment there was only white light, it was too beautiful to behold. It looked like a rain of crystals. It glowed even brighter than the sun had ever done. In a flash it disappeared. Somehow Legolas could not keep his eyes open and he closed them.**  
  
Elrond looked at Legolas and then he saw it. Legolas were just opened a little bit. "Legolas, can you hear me?" lord Elrond spoke softly. No answer came. Everybody waited nervously, all hoping Legolas would answer. Had the antidote somehow not worked?  
  
Then finally Legolas slowly open his eyes some more and saw the silhouette of a face. He blinked, But his vision stayed blurry. A moment later everything came into focus. Legolas hadn't felt the pain for a couple of minutes, but now everything came back, also the pain did. He moaned and tried to speak: "Elrond?" He managed to say the name of the person he saw.  
  
Elrond smiled and whispered back: "your safe, we will take care for you now. Just lie down and rest, we will tend to you." Legolas wanted to answer, but then he felt the burning pain in his chest getting worse and the word poison shot through his mind. Legolas whispered: "they poisoned me, please help, it burns in my chest." Lord Elrond had to bent over Legolas to hear what he said. Terror was written on his face. "Legolas, try to tell me everything you know about that." Legolas told everything lord Elrond wanted to know. "There were two elves, one with black hair and the other had brown hair. They tortured me, they broke my fingers and left leg." Elrond nodded. "We know that they did that to you," the elven lord from Imladris said. It was hard for Legolas to tell what happened to him, tears stung in his eyes and it drained him for all the energy he had left, but he continued to tell: "the poison was dark red, nearly black of colour. It burns in my chest, it hurts. You have to help me" The whole room was silent. , nobody spoke. They all listened to Legolas. "I will help you, do you have any idea what was in the poison?" Elrond asked, because if he knew, he could easily find a cure. Legolas shook his head. Elrond sighed.  
  
Legolas looked around the room. He saw Aragorn, Elladan, Elrohir, Atariël and his father. "Ada?" he whispered. "I'm here, my son." Lord Thranduil stroke Legolas' cheek. Tears welled up in Legolas eyes. A sob came out of his throat. Legolas had been so desperate, he had never thought he would see his friends and family again. For the first time in weeks a faint smile appeared on his face. It had been long since Legolas had smiled.  
  
Elrond spoke: "I'm going to look for an antidote to this poison. My sons will you help me? Atariël will you tend to Legolas?" The twins left with their father, they had rather stayed by Legolas' side, but if they would help they could find the antidote quicker. "My lord, Aragorn, would you please leave for a moment so I can examine Legolas? The elf and the man left the room.  
  
"Do you've got pain anywhere else than in your chest?" Atariël asked. Legolas nodded and tried to answer, but no words came out. "It's fine, you are just weak, your strength will come back," Atariël tried to comfort the prince. She put a hand on his brow to feel if he might have a fever, but he didn't. She lifted up the blankets and put them aside. She carefully lifted up his slender, left arm and looked for cuts. Then she saw a small one, she had not seen before. "What happened to your wrist?" Atariël asked surprised. Legolas had some small cuts and bruises on his arms, but most of them were on his chest. Finally Legolas managed to say something: "nothing, my leg." He hoped she would understand that he got a lot of pain there. Atariël understood and took a look at it. "It doesn't lay in the most comfortable way, to not cause any pain. I'll have to move it a bit, it will hurt. Carefully she lifted up his leg and put it down again. When she did that Legolas moaned tears stung his eyes. "I'm sorry," Atariël apologised. A faint smile appeared on Legolas face, like he wanted to say it was alright, because it had to happen anyway.  
  
Atariël wondered why Legolas said nothing had happened to his wrist. How did that cut came there? If it had been some deeper he could have bled to death. The thought kept wandering around in her mind. Maybe he had just been through to many things and he had not jet the strength to tell everything that had happened. She pushed her thoughts aside.  
  
"I'll be right back, I'll get some medicine to ease the pain." She walked to the cupboard and got some medicines. "I'll have to lift up your head too, so you can swallow the water and medicines better. I'm really sorry, I know it hurts." Atariël felt really sorry for the prince, after his awakening he still had to go through some more pain before he could finally rest. She dissolved the medicines in the water. She lifted up his head and put the glass against his lips, she poured a little bit of the liquid in his mouth. Legolas swallowed it. She did not want to make any unexpected movements to the prince more pain. She lay the blanket back over Legolas' body. "I'll let you father and Aragorn come in, but try to rest, maybe even sleep," Atariël said, but just before she wanted to get Thranduil and Aragorn, Legolas shook his head. "Please don't leave me alone, I'm afraid to fall asleep again," Legolas whispered. I understand, but you are safe here, you won't be alone for long. We are just outside your room, there will be some one in a couple of minutes." Atariël reassured the prince enough that everything was alright. And she left the room.  
  
When she came in the corridor the king and Aragorn immediately came to her. "How is my son doing?" the king asked. "He sill be fine, he has no new injuries , except for a small cut in his wrist. He is weak and needs to rest, because he will need his strength to fight the poison. He has some difficulties with speaking, but that is also because he is tired," Atariël explained, "he is also afraid to be alone and go to sleep. I think you better go and see him." She left the elf and man and went to lord Elrond's study to see if they found an antidote.  
  
"Lord Elrond did you find anything yet?" Atariël asked after she entered the study. "Yes, but this one is quiet complicated. I can use you help," Elrond told her. "The two healers started making the antidote. The twins helped with finding all the ingredients. To make this cure would take a day and night. Sometimes they had to wait a couple of hours before a new ingredient could be added. The four elves were working hard and hoped that Legolas could fight the poison a little longer.  
  
Lord Thranduil and Aragorn were sitting by Legolas' side. Now and then Elladan and Elrohir came by to see how Legolas was doing. But now it had been a while, since there last visit. Thranduil ran his fingers through his son's blond hair, that lay loose on the pillow. Legolas' eyes were half open, he was tired and unconsciousness took over him. He fell asleep. The poison in his body was spreading and slowly killing him. It was getting worse, he started to shake and shiver in his sleep and sometimes he moaned. "Maybe we should get Elrond or Atariël," Thranduil said anxious. "I think it is the poison, that is slowly taking over Legolas, but I'll ask Elrond if he can do anything to slow the poisoning," Aragorn said.  
  
When Aragorn came back he told Legolas' father, that there was nothing that could slow the poisoning. Not even the Athelas plant, which Aragorn had used to slow the poison that was running through Frodo's veins. That had been during the time of The one Ring. They already knew that they had found a cure, because the twins had told them. It would take another 10 hours to finish the antidote. All they could hope for was that Legolas had enough strength left to fight the poison, that was running through his veins. Everyone had been so relieved when Legolas had woken out of his dreams, but then all this came. He had to suffer some more then he already had.

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When I was looking to LotR RotK, I noticed at the credit titles that the woman that was singing on the moment Orlando's name came into view, was something that suited with this story. The woman sang: "You're only sleeping." It has to do a bit with this story. And I just wanted to let you know this.  
  
Thanks to Nikki and Sunshine 888 for reviewing chapter six.

I love reading reviews so you people out there please review !!


	8. chapter eight

Chapter eight

Note:Legolas torture, everything that is written **this way **are Legolas' dreams, everything written _this way_ is Atariël's diary

Disclaimer: nothing of Lord of the Rings is mine. Atariël is character I've made up.

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Elladan, Elrohir and Atariël got back to Legolas. Lord Elrond was putting the finishing touches on the antidote. When they entered the room Atariël immediately saw Legolas was looking very poor. Legolas shivered and moaned, sweat drops lay on his brow. Atariël wetted a piece of cloth and laid it on his forehead. "Please hold on a little longer, the antidote is nearly ready," she muttered under her breath.

She took a seat and stared at the floor. At once she remembered that she hadn't written in her diary for like at least a week. She would write after all this was alright again and her life had turned back to normal. When she looked around the room, everybody was aimlessly staring at something. Nobody spoke, they were all waiting for lord Elrond. A strange tension hang in the air. It would not be long before the antidote would be ready, but still everybody feared for Legolas' life, any moment he could give up fighting and die.

At last Elrond entered and in his hand he held a bottle with the antidote. "It is ready," Elrond sighed. He lifted up Legolas' head. It rested in the crook of Elrond's arm. Carefully he pured some of the antidote in Legolas' mouth. With his other hand he massaged Legolas' throat. Legolas swallowed the liquid and Elrond lay him down again. It all seemed so familiar. A night and day ago they had done exactly the same. "Wake up, Legolas," Elrond muttered. Please let it work, Atariël thought. Everybody hoped the antidote would drive out the poison. All were waiting till Legolas would give any sign of reacting to the antidote.

Finally Legolas blinked with his eyes. "Legolas, can you hear me?" his father called softly. There came no response. "Son, answer me," the king said desperately. Legolas blinked with his eyes and stared to his father. "What is wrong?" Thranduil asked. "I'm not sure, he might be drained from energy by the poison, or his voice is failing him," Elrond said.

Legolas heard voices around him, but he couldn't see who were speaking, his vision was blurry. All he saw were the outlines of two elves who were sitting next to him on the bed. He tried to say something, but he was to exhausted. The burning pain from the poison was slowly fading. Everything came back into vision. Finally he managed to produce a sound. "Everything is over now, you are safe," his father said. He felt someone stroking his hand. "How are you feeling, Legolas, is the pain in your chest fading?" Elrond asked. "Yes, I'm tired," Legolas whispered. Everybody in the room let out a sigh of relief. The antidote was working, Legolas would survive. He would heal.

Legolas looked at his friends. They all seemed fatigued just like him. They had probably been sitting there for a long time, watching over him. He felt guilt coming over him, how could he ever doubted them, that they wouldn't try to save him. Why did he try to kill himself? If they had just been a little later he would have died, he would have killed himself. Tears welled up in his eyes. Sobs came out of his throat. He cried and sobbed. "Don't cry my son, you are safe, do ... do you've got pain?" Thranduil tried to comfort his son. "No," he whispered between two sobs. Nobody understood why Legolas was crying. He should be happy that everything was over. "Why do you cry, please talk to me?" the king begged his son. "I'm sorry," Legolas said. "For what?" Legolas shook his head, to say he did not want to talk about it. The king understood and stopped asking questions.

He could never tell he tried to kill himself, what would his friends think of him? That he didn't thrust them? That he was weak and did not dare to fight? If he would tell them, it would be a long time from now. He felt guilty and ashamed. The tears stopped falling and he then notice he was really exhausted. He struggled to keep his eyes open. He did not want to sleep, he did not dare to sleep. Legolas was afraid that he would be back in the dungeon again. Elrond noticed Legolas struggle against the unconsciousness and said: "it's fine, those dreams won't return, you can sleep." Legolas nodded and let him fall into the sweet embrace of unconsciousness.

When Legolas had fallen asleep Elladan said: "we have to find these elves who did this to Legolas." Thranduil and Elrond nodded. The healer of Imladris said: "there aren't many elves here with brown or black hair so that would not be to hard, but he have to find evidence. I've read in the book that the victim has to drink some kind of poison before these dreams can start to take place. So I think it was some one in the palace." Elrohir was thinking about all this, but at once he realised something wasn't right. "No father," he exclaimed, "Legolas was in Imladris and we were not back here before the dreams started." "You are right about that ," Elrond said, "but once the poison was given only the antidote could drive it out of Legolas, so it could have been given to him before he went to Rivendell. And the one that gave the poison to cause these dreams has to be in a certain range of the victim to start these dreams. So when Legolas went to Imladris they could not reach him." "That makes sense," Elladan said, "were are we waiting for we have to find these elves!!" Elrond shook his head. "Not right now, everybody is tired and in a few hours the night will fall."

The king had six guards placed at the disposal of the twins and Aragorn. On the order of the king they could search every house of a brown or black haired elf. There weren't so many elves who had that colour of hair. The Mirkwood elves had blond hair by nature. The others had come later to live in the realm of Mirkwood. They would start their quest tomorrow morning.

Lord Elrond had persuaded lord Thranduil to also go to bed and sleep a couple of hours. Atariël insisted that she would stay awake and watch over Legolas. The twins and Aragorn had also turned into bed, just like their father, lord Elrond. The only one awake was Atariël, a couple of times she dozed off. A candle was lit. The flame twinkles in the darkness of the room. The light cast shadows on the walls. In the middle of the night she woke up with a shock, someone had screamed. For a moment she asked herself were she was, but the memories returned. She heard Legolas heavily breathing. The candle had gone out during the night. Atariël lit the candle and walked to Legolas' bed. "It's me, Atariël," she said to not scare Legolas. "Are you alright?" Terror was written on Legolas' face. "Yes I think so," he whispered. Atariël lit some more candles to make a little more light in the room. "I just had a nightmare," Legolas whispered. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Atariël said, "it must be hard anyway to deal with all these things you have gone through." Legolas nodded. He felt that he had to tell someone about what kept bothering his mind and Atariël was for all he knew the only one who knew about the cut in his wrist.

"Atariël, can I tell you something the others cannot know about?" Legolas asked. "Maybe tomorrow morning, you have to rest." "But then the others are here too," Legolas protested. "Alright then," Atariël said, she conceded and took a seat. "Remember that you asked what happened to my wrist?" Atariël nodded and let Legolas continue his story. Maybe it was good for him to tell about what had come to pass, Atariël thought. Legolas swallowed and said: "I ... I tried to ... to commit suicide" Atariël gasped. "Why?" Tears were in Legolas' eyes again, but he had to tell someone. "I was so desperate and I not bear it any longer. The pain and the loneliness it was horrible. If all of you had been a minute later I would have been dead. I'm sorry." Legolas sobbed. Atariël put her hand on Legolas' shoulder. "I understand, we would all be desperate if such a thing would happen to us," Atariël tried to comfort Legolas. "You were lucky to come out of this alive, years ago the same happened to my mother, she died." Legolas looked puzzled. "I'm sorry, but why didn't they give the same cure to her as they did to me?" Legolas did not understand and he wondered what happened when he was in those dreams. "you don't know that yet, but I'll explain it to you tomorrow. You really need to sleep now, I'll stay here throughout the night." Legolas tried to protest, but Atariël put out the candles and the only light in the room came from one candle she let burn.

Legolas lay in his bed, he did not lay comfortable, so he tried to move a bit, but when he did so he moved his left leg. He screamed in pain. Atariël was sitting right next to his bed immediately asked what was wrong. "My leg, it hurts, stop, make it stop," Legolas muttered. Atariël lit the other candles again. She moved the blankets aside and looked at his leg. "Did you try to move yourself?" Atariël asked. "Yes, I'm sorry," Legolas whispered. Atariël laid his leg back in the right position. "Don't be sorry, it's fine. We have to put a brace around it or something like that. It will keep the bones in the same position, it will heal quicker that way." Legolas notice her voice did not sound angry, but gentle, although it still made him feel guilty. "I'm really sorry," Legolas said again. "It's fine, now you awake it is normal that you try to move, I'll talk about it with lord Elrond tomorrow morning. Do you lay alright this way?" Legolas nodded. The last thing he saw before he fell asleep was that Atariël put out the candles again except for one.

In the whole palace there was no sound to be heard anymore. Everybody was sleeping, even Atariël. She was so tired, that she had fallen asleep when she was sitting on the chair, that stood nest to Legolas' bed. Legolas did not wake up anymore that night. Peacefully he laid in the bed, sleeping. No tormenting dreams, just the sweet embrace of unconsciousness, recovering his strength.

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Thanks to Nikki, Sunshine 888 and Schizophrenic Moonlight for reviewing chapter seven.

Note: I go on holiday from 13 till 20 august. I'm not sure if I will update chapter nine before I go on holiday. I promise I will update at least on the 22nd of august.

Please let me know what you think of it. Review !!


	9. chapter nine

Chapter nine

Note:Legolas torture, everything that is written **this way **are Legolas' dreams, everything written _this way_ is Atariël's diary

Disclaimer: nothing of Lord of the Rings is mine. Atariël is character I've made up.

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At dawn the twins, Aragorn and the six guards began their quest. The king had given a list with elves who were working in the palace. "This thing will probably not be done in one day." Elrohir sighed and said: "lets start and hope we will find these elves before more things will happen." Everybody nodded and of they got to the first elf.

Atariël woke up and noticed she wasn't in the House of Healing. She looked around and noticed she was in her own room, in bed. On her pedestal cupboard lay a paper. She picked it up and read it. Lord Elrond had written it. It said:

Atariël,

I found you sleeping on a chair in Legolas' room. I brought you to your room and put you in bed. Don't worry about prince Legolas, I stayed with him. Take a break till a least this afternoon, you really deserve that.

Lord Elrond.

Atariël noticed the letter was quickly written. She laid the paper back and let herself fall back on the bed. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but she could not. Something kept bothering her. She was not quiet sure that she had to tell Elrond or Thranduil about what Legolas had told her that night. Although she had promised Legolas she would not tell anyone. Try to commit suicide, that can not be taken lightly. Elves were immortal, they did not think about dying and ending their life. Death was something strange, something that they did not had to deal with. Atariël pushed her thoughts aside and tried to sleep some more.

In the House of Healing Legolas had just woken up. "Good morning, Legolas," lord Elrond greeted. "Where is Atariël?" Legolas asked. Elrond chuckled. "When I entered this room she was sleeping on a chair, so I brought her to her room." We hadn't slept for two or three days and before that we hadn't slept much either, but someone had to stay with you. Atariël said that she would stay, but she also fell asleep." Legolas chuckled. He tried to push him up by his own strength, but he was still to weak for that and Elrond had to help him. For a moment everything got black in front of Legolas' eyes. He had down quiet some time and now he sat up he felt dizzy. Legolas had the feeling that he had to vomit, but the feeling disappeared after he was sitting there a couple of minutes. "I'll get you something to eat, that will do you good," Elrond said and left Legolas sitting in his bed alone.

The twins, Aragorn and the guards had only visited three elves and non of them had seen the book before and they hadn't found the book or something suspicious either. The list contained ten elves that were working in the palace. So they still had to do a lot. "What if father is wrong and the elves don't work here?" Elrohir asked. It was not really a question, it was more a thought in his mind. "I don't know, just let us hope the elves do work here," the elder twin said and Aragorn knocked on the next door.

Atariël got dressed and walked to the House of Healing. When she was nearly at Legolas' room, Elrond just wanted to enter the room. "Lord Elrond," Atariël said. "Atariël did you find my note?" Elrond asked. Atariël nodded. "Yes, but can I talk to you for a moment?" "Off course," Elrond said and he wanted to enter Legolas' room. "In private, it's about Legolas." Elrond nodded, but first he brought the plate with food to Legolas and then joined Atariël to his study. When they both had taken a seat Atariël stared telling what bothered her.

"This morning I was in doubt if I should tell you this or not. I promised Legolas I would not tell anyone, but I think you should know this," Atariël said. Elrond wondered what Atariël was about to tell him. What would Legolas tell her, but did not want the others to know about it? Atariël continued: "he told me that he ... he tried to ... to commit ... suicide." Elrond gasped. "When ... how?" Elrond asked. "He told that if we had been a little later with the cure to wake him from the dreams, he would have been dead." Elrond walked through the room, finally he said: "it is good you told me, Legolas needs his friends and father to support him. He will have to get through some tough times, putting all this behind him." Atariël understood, but the point was that his friends were searching for the elves who had done this to Legolas. It was as if lord Elrond had read her mind. Elrond said: "his friends are not here right now. Maybe you should go to him, I believe he trusts you, otherwise he had never told you all this," Atariël smiled and said: "I don't mind going to Legolas, he used to visit me sometimes. He liked to question me about the art of healing. Oh yes, before I forget, last night Legolas tried to move himself and accidentally he moved his leg, it caused him a lot of pain. I thought he might need to wear a brace, if he moves the bones stay in the same position." Elrond thought for a moment. "That could be a good idea otherwise when he moves again he can cause more damage to his leg and that is not what we want. I'll see you later by Legolas." Atariël left and went to see Legolas.

"Hello Legolas," Atariël greeted cheerfully, "how are you doing?" Legolas smiled when he saw Atariël. "I'm fine, thanks." Atariël sat down at a chair. "Where is you father, doesn't he want to be with you?" Legolas sadly shook is his head and said: "businesses," and in a whisper he added "like always, no time for me." He needed his father, to help him through this difficult time, but he was to busy with other things, like most of the time. "I'm sorry, everyone is busy with other things and you are her all alone." Legolas chuckled. "Not alone, you are with me." Atariël had to laugh, he was right about that she was here.

"let me see you hands, I want to know if your fingers healed," Atariël said. Legolas laid his long and slender hand on Atariël's hand so she could have a better look. Finally she said: "the bones are fully healed, maybe it will still hurt a little bit." Legolas was glad to hear that his body was beginning to heal. He wanted to get out of his bed and forget the things that had come to pass. He knew it would not be easy, but in the end he would enjoy his life again. At least it was worth fighting for.

Elrond walked through one of the many corridors in the palace. He just aimlessly wandered around. He knew Atariël would look after Legolas. He wanted to turn around the corner, but he ran into lord Thranduil. "Thranduil, what are you doing here, do you not want to be with you son?" Elrond asked. The king let out a sigh. "I would love to be with Legolas, but his is still so fragile, He is so slender, when I touch him, I'm afraid that I would hurt him and I don't want to do that. He looks paler than an elf should and I'm still afraid that he might die. I don't want to see him like this not after the death of his mother. I cannot go through that again." The elven lord Elrond nodded in understanding. "your son needs you right now and he won't, he is beginning to heal. The antidote is driving out the poison, it's only a matter of time till Legolas will be fully recovered from his injuries." Thranduil let out another sigh. "I'll go to him, but not right now, I want to be alone for some time." With a small nod Elrond left the king alone.

Atariël was still with Legolas. "Do you mind if I would write?" she asked. Legolas looked up from the book he was trying to read. "Write, what are you writing, a story?" he asked curious. "You could call it some kind of story," Atariël walked to the cupboard to get he diary. "If you really must know, I keep a diary, since I was a little elfling I do so." She got her diary and started writing about all the things that happened. As far as she could remember them, it all happened so fast. This time she would probably write a whole page.

_Sorry for not writing such a long time, but it are busy times. A lot happened the last weeks. After Legolas' fingers were broken a lot more happened. The two elves in his dreams broke his leg and stabbed him with a sword. In the end they tried to poison him, but he survived all this. We made and antidote for the poison and a cure to the dreams. Legolas is still weak, but he will make it according to lord Elrond. Last night he told me something that really frightened me. He tried to commit suicide when he was in those dreams. It really makes clear it must have been horrible. I told him he must be glad that he made it out alive, because my nana died. I had promised I would not tell anyone about his attempt to commit suicide, but I thought it was important that lord Elrond would know it, so I told him. I feel guilty about that, maybe I should tell Legolas that I did. I'm not sure yet. Now I'm sitting by Legolas, watching over him. He was surprised when I still wrote in a diary, he thought he knew everything about me. Clearly he does not. I really feel glad that all this is over. The twin brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, are together with Aragorn searching for the two elves who did this to Legolas. I believe I wrote all the important things that happened the last week._

_Love Atariël _

Legolas who had been watching Atariël said: "last night you said you would explain something, will you do that now?" Atariël looked up. "Okay, I will." She put her diary back in the box that she had placed in the cupboard. "A lot happened when you were in those dreams." She smiled. "I finally found out how my mother died, it was a big shock, but when I think about it I could have known it was something like this. But however, there was a book that told us the cure for the dreams, but it had been stolen many years ago, but the twins did not know and they found a strange book. They gave it their father. It happened to be a copy of the original, but it did not matter we had found a the antidote." Legolas opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it again. Finally he said: " how did Aragorn know this, he was in Gondor, wasn't he?" There appeared a smile on Atariël's face. "Your not stupid are you? He accidentally came to know this, he wanted to come and visit you, but then it seemed that this happened to you and he stayed here."

The two were interrupted in their conversation when someone entered the room. It was lord Elrond. "Atariël will you put the blankets aside and help Legolas to lay down again." In his hand Elrond held the brace for Legolas' leg. It was made from leather. He and Atariël strapped it around his leg. Legolas could not bend his knee anymore. It was not the most comfortable thing, but he knew it would help him heal quicker and if he moved he wouldn't hurt himself. "Thank you," Legolas said.

The twins looked to Aragorn, he looked tired just like them. "Shall we stop for today and continue tomorrow?" Elladan asked. They had been by five out of ten elves. "yes, that is a good idea. Maybe we can go to Legolas and see how he is doing?" Aragorn said. Elrohir agreed with his brothers. They thanked the guards and they would see them tomorrow. They hadn't found anything, no evidence that any of these elves they visited had committed a crime. The three friends walked to the House of Healing.

When they were nearly by Legolas' room Atariël stepped out of the room. She closed the door behind her.. "Did you find anything?" she asked when she saw them. "No." Elrohir said, "but can we see Legolas?" Atariël shook her head. "I'm sorry, but he needs to rest, he has been awake all day long." The three friends didn't gave in. "Please??" they begged Atariël and they looked as sweet as possible without laughing. "Okay, but not to long." The twins and Aragorn couldn't help it, but they had to laugh, just like Atariël. Quickly the two elves and the man entered the room.

Legolas looked up when he heard people laugh. He thought Atariël wouldn't let anyone in, so he could rest. Then he saw it were the twins and Aragorn. Legolas smiled. "Hello Legolas," the three greeted. Legolas had to laugh the three of them looked happy. "Where have you been all day?" Legolas asked. The twins glanced at each other. "Well do I get an answer or is it a secret?" Legolas said to tease them. "We have been looking for the elves who did this to you," Elladan finally answered. Oh was all Legolas said in response. "Did you find them?" Elrohir shook his head. "No, but we continue tomorrow our quest. Don't worry we will make them pay." Legolas smiled, Elrohir could say things in such a way that even when it was meant serious it sounded funny. "But how are you holding up here?" Aragorn asked.

Legolas told what he had been doing, it was not much. He showed them the brace lord Elrond and Atariël had strapped around his leg. "I'm so glad that you woke up," Elrohir said, "but we must be going or Atariël will kill us for staying this long." All four of them had to laugh and the three of them left Legolas so he could finally rest and sleep.

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Thanks to Nikki and the Anonymous reviewer for reviewing chapter eight.

**Nikki: **I really respect all your reviews your one of my most loyal reviewers, thank you so much. Do you write fanfic stories or do you only read fanfics? Because if you have stories I would love to read them.

See you next time.

Please review.


	10. chapter ten

Chapter ten

Note:Legolas torture, everything that is written **this way **are Legolas' dreams, everything written _this way_ is Atariël's diary

Disclaimer: nothing of Lord of the Rings is mine. Atariël is character I've made up.

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"Day two of our quest," Elrohir exclaimed. They all had gone early to bed and everyone was happy and rested by the time they woke up. "We have to make sure that we stop earlier this day or Atariël won't let us visit Legolas again," Elladan remarked. "She was not what you call happy," Elrohir said. Aragorn had to laugh about the twins. They were really good brothers, although they had their fights, especially when they had been younger. Aragorn remembered the two fighting. He could not recall where the fight had been about, there had been so many. "Wake up day-dreamer," Elrohir exclaimed. Aragorn startled from the voice by his ear. "Lets go."

That night Elrond had stayed with Legolas. Nothing had happened, Legolas had slept all night long. Lord Thranduil had come to visit his son in the first hours of the morning. Elrond had left the king alone with his son, who was still sleeping at the time.

The king stared at Legolas' face. He realised it had been a long time since he really had a conversation with his son. He had changed a lot since he was a little elfling. His son had grown up to become a skilful archer, a warrior. It was in this moment he realised he had never really been there for his son, especially when his mother had died. The king had been caught up in his own grief and had forgotten his son. He had to deal with it all alone, but maybe that made him strong. From now on Thranduil would try to really be there for his son when he needed his father. Tears appeared in Thranduil's eyes. "I'm sorry my son," he softly whispered in Legolas' pointed ear. The king stroked Legolas' silken hair. Normally it would be braided in beautiful warrior plaits, but now it lay loose at the side of Legolas' head. His eyes were half open while he was sleeping. Slowly his chest moved up and down when he draw breath. He looked fair an calm, not as if he had been tortured for a couple of weeks.

Legolas began to stir, he opened his eyes and saw his father. It surprised him. His father, who was always busy, came to visit him? "Ada?" Legolas said. "Good morning son," Thranduil said in response. Legolas smiled, but then he saw that his father had cried. "Father, what is wrong? You cried." Thranduil nodded. "Yes, when I was looking at you I realised I was never here for you, but I want to change that." The king bent down and embraced his son, he buried his face in Legolas' golden hair. "I'm sorry for not being the father you needed," Thranduil muttered. "It's alright ada."

The twins and Aragorn had knocked on the door of the room of the seventh elf, but nobody opened the door. "Probably he or she is working," Elladan said. At once a thought jumped in the twins their heads. The two glanced to each other. Were they thinking the same? "Oh no that cannot be," Elrohir exclaimed. Aragorn who didn't understand his foster brothers asked: "where are you talking about?" "No time to explain, we have to go to Legolas," Elladan said and they started running to the House of Healing. The guards followed the two elves and the men.

On their way they ran into lord Elrond. "Where are you going to so fast?" he asked. "No time to explain," Elrohir said, "wait!" Before they ran off again something popped up in twin his mind. "Who is with Legolas?" Elrond thought for a moment and answered: "I don't know, I think Atariël, but he could be alone. Anyway, why are you asking this?" He did not get an answer, they had already turned around the corner.

There were two elves in a room, both had a sword and dagger with them. One of them had also two ropes with him. The weapons and ropes were hidden under their long black cloaks. Softly they were discussing their plan again, so nothing could go wrong. When they had gone over everything they left the chamber and locked the door. Silently they walked through the corridors of the palace heading to their goal. Nobody who came across them noticed anything suspicious. They were just to elves, no one knew that they were up to a terrible thing.

"Do you know which room it is?" one of the elves asked the other. "No, we have to try, but I think it is that one." The other elf pointed to the only room were the door was closed. "If he is resting or sleeping he will have closed the door to block the noise. The other nodded and they entered the room.

In the room lay a blond elf peacefully sleeping. He didn't hear the two elves who had entered his room. Normal he would have, but he was so exhausted and weak that he didn't. The elves tied the ropes around the elf's feet and hands. The blond elf stirred a bit, but he didn't wake. Then the two elves drew their swords ready to finish the first part of their plan, kill the prince of Mirkwood.

The twins were running as hard as they could. Aragorn and the guards followed. Finally they reached Legolas' room. The twins burst in the room. At a glance their thought had been confirmed. In the room were two elves. One with black hair and the other with brown hair. The two elves startled from the sound they heard and turned around, facing the twins, Aragorn and the guards. "You're to late," the black haired elf exclaimed with a laugh. He turned around, lifted up his sword, ready to kill Legolas.

Legolas had woken up when his friend had burst in the room. He saw the sword in coming down. He had fear in his eyes he didn't want to die, not after everything he had gone through and that he had overcame. No he didn't want to die, not now, not like this. He closed his eyes, waiting for the sword to pierce through his heart and end his life. Memories of his life rushed through his head, about his mother, the adventures he had with his friends. He saw himself as a little elfling walking through the woods. Laughing and looking at the birds and squirrels in the trees. Legolas waited for pain, but there came no pain. Was dying painless, Legolas thought.

Slowly Legolas opened his eyes, he hadn't died, but this nightmare wasn't over yet. He saw Elladan fighting with the black haired elf. The younger twin and Aragorn were fighting the other elf. Elladan had ordered the guards to check if the king was alright. He, his brother and Aragorn would fight the two elves. They had conquered a lot of orcs, two elves couldn't be that hard. Swords hitting each other, elves swiftly moving through the room. Elladan managed to get the sword out of the hands of the elf, but before he could move aside the elf hit him hard on his temple. Elladan collapsed on the floor. "Elladan!" his brother yelled. The black haired elf picked up the sword and ran over to Legolas. He lifted up the sword again. Nobody could help Legolas, his friends were fighting. The brown haired elf was skilful with a blade. The other stood next to him. It was like the he saw everything in slow-motion. The sword coming closer and closer to his chest.

But before he could hit him, he rolled aside. Legolas had just found enough strength to do that, but he had not moved fast enough. A long gash ran across Legolas' chest and side. He had fallen of the bed, because it was not wide enough. It made him scream in agony. He could not stop the moans escaping his lips.

At least Elrohir and Aragorn managed to capture the two elves. At the same moment Atariël, Elrond and two guards stepped in the room. "Take them to dungeon," Elrond said while he nodded to the two elves. Atariël had already walked to Legolas to see how he was doing. Elrohir had kneeled down by his twin brother.

Elrond and Elrohir helped Atariël untie Legolas' bonds and get him back in the bed. After that they laid Elladan in one of the other chambers of the House of Healing. Elrohir wasn't aloud to stay with his brother, lord Elrond wanted to examine him. Elrohir joined Atariël and Aragorn. Legolas was sitting against the headboard of the bed Elrohir sat down next to him on the bed. Atariël sat down on the other side and Aragorn sat at the end of the bed. Atariël helped Legolas take off his tunic. First she had to take off the old bandages and with a piece of cloth she tried to stop the bleeding. Legolas hissed when she pressed to hard against his ribs. "Does that hurt?" she gently asked. All Legolas could do was nod, a lump had formed in his throat. "I have to feel if it has broken" She slightly pressed against his ribs. Legolas could not stop the moan that escaped his lips. "It's not broken, it's only bruised." Atariël also took a look at the old gashes and cuts. Most of them had healed, only the deeper ones were still visible. She wrapped new bandages around Legolas chest. "So, are you alright further?" Softly he whispered: "yes."

At once Legolas embrace Elrohir and started crying. He buried his face in Elrohir's dark hair. It had been a big shock for Legolas: waking up to see someone with sword in his hands ready to kill him. Elrohir let his friend and sob and cry till he looked up. "Are you sure you are fine?" Legolas nodded, words were stuck in his throat.

Elrohir stood up, his father had come to tell them Elladan had woken. Nothing had been damaged. Elladan had just a splitting headache. "Hello big brother," Elrohir whispered when he saw his twin brother. "Are you okay?" Elladan nodded in response. Elrohir just sat there by his brother. In the end Elladan had fallen asleep and his younger brother watched over him.

The king was shocked when the guards had told what they had seen. He immediately wanted to go to his son.

"Legolas?" Thranduil said worried. The two friends of Legolas were still sitting with him on the bed. "Are you hurt?" the king asked. "I'm fine father, really I'm okay," he said when he saw his fathers worried look. Atariël told the king what kind of injuries Legolas had. Lord Thranduil asked an explanation from Aragorn how they knew the two elves were here. But Aragorn honestly didn't know. "I think the twins had a hunch."

Everyone was glad that nobody had sustained any serious injuries. Tomorrow they would question the two elves. Legolas asked if someone wanted to stay with him throughout the night. Aragorn offered that he would stay. Legolas was okay with that and Elrohir stayed with his brother. Further everyone went to bed early that day.

Legolas had difficulties with sleeping. He was afraid that something would happen. Aragorn comforted him and reassured him that he wouldn't let anything happen to his best friend. Aragorn whispered some encouraging words till he finally fell asleep.

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Okay that was is for chapter ten. See you next time.

Thanks to Sunshine888 for reviewing chapter nine.

I love having review, so please review.


	11. chapter eleven

Well it has been ages that I did something with this story, but I've decided to finish it. So here is the final chapter.

But before I start I want to thank some people for helping to find my love for writing again. First of all Bluecobweb for inspiring me to finish this particular story and Mythicalrhythm for the lovely conversation we had and making me remember that I should not give up writing.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings is not mine, nor any characters or places.

Well here it is: the final chapter. Enjoy! (even though it is short)

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**Epilogue**

A month later Legolas was sitting on a bench near a river. He was watching the trees and the birds. He felt at peace again. Nearly all his injuries had healed and his friends had journeyed home again. Lord Elrond and his sons would probably arrive in Rivendell within the week.

While Legolas was enjoying the whistling of the birds and the sunshine on his face, an elf sat next to him. Legolas lay his head on the elf's shoulder. "Are you alright?" The elf next to him asked. Legolas answered: "Yes, I am glad your with me." He lifted his head up again and looked at Atariël's face. They moved closer and kissed.

Atariël had helped him recover, not just physically, but also mentally. Legolas self esteem had needed some healing as well and Atariël had been there for him. After the night Legolas decided to confide in her, they had grown closer.

The two elves that had hurt Legolas were interrogated by the twins, Aragorn and King Thranduil. The two had planned to take the throne of Mirkwood. They wanted to kill Prince Legolas as to weaken Thranduil. That way it would be easier to kill Thranduil and achieve their goal.

First they did not really know how to kill the Prince, but Caldor ,the black haired elf, had found an old book that he got from his grandfather. He had never taken an interest in it, until he found out that it contained some of the darkest and foulest magic.

That book was their ideal chance to get rid of the Prince. They had to make a certain poison to be able to enter Legolas's dreams and hurt him. They slipped the poison in his food which was easy, because Cilian, the brown haired elf, worked in the kitchens.

Caldor and Cilian had to wait to execute their plans, because Legolas was going on a visit to Rivendell and the two elves had to be in a certain range of their victim to access his dreams. As soon as Legolas returned they were able to hurt him.

After the two had cleared up some mysteries and told were the book was, it was decided that they were to be executed. Two days later the two were hanged. Legolas had insisted on seeing it, for he wanted to be sure his captors were dead.

Lord Elrond and his sons stayed a little longer in Mirkwood. But it soon came apparent that their help was no longer needed for they all saw something bloom between Atariël and Legolas.

And so it was that Caldor and Cilian achieved not only something bad, but something beautiful between the prince and his healer.

I hope this brought some closure to this story. At first I wasn't planning to end this story with an epilogue, but I was having some trouble with the interrogation scene. And because it was so long ago since I wrote this, I decide to end it this way.

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Hoped you liked it.

Love, Melwa Elena.


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